AboutCaitlin Day Huntress Expertise I developed Huntress Horsemanship and its principals for both horse and owner after years of working with difficult and "troubled" horses. I guarantee results with my training method. Please visit my website www.HuntressHorsemanship.com
Please visit www.blackhawkhorses.com, the ranch I work at had its arena collapse in the snow on Christmas eve. We are coming together to try to help Black Hawk Natural Horsemanship Center stay open.
Thank You
Experience My study of Dance, Movement, Dressage, Natural Horsemanship, and Communication have helped me to develop my program.
Question Hi Caitlin,
I have a 13hh pony (gelding), he is 12 years old. I have had him for about six weeks and he has just started to refuse to leave the yard. I have lunged and long reined him successfully and actually ridden him out on hacks alone and in company. His tack all fits fine, he has no physical problems. If I can get him out of the farm gate it is only a matter of time before he runs backwards, fast, rears and or tries to wipe me off on a tree or fence. He looks permanently worried and I think he is quite anxious and needs someone to follow but I can't always have someone else to ride out with. Any sugestions?
Answer Hello Nikki,
Sounds like you guy may be feeling herd bound. Try to think of things from his point of view, a prey animal alone is a prey animal dinner. That being said you want to start building a relationship with your horse so he sees you as the leader of your herd of two, then whenever you ask him to go somewhere he feels like he is with you so he is not alone. I would start by getting a tarp and seeing if from the ground you can ask him to go over it by himself with you standing still on the side of it. Will he walk over if you lead with the halter lead and if you need to add some pressure by swinging the end of the lead towards his shoulder? I would make sure to have a natural rope halter with a longer lead before doing this. Try to think of things you can do that involve putting pressure on him to step somewhere and as soon as he even thinks of going take the pressure off. If you can give and have no pressure when he thinks of doing what you would like him to do then soon he will try more and more. Try working with the tarp, working with trailer loading and working with leaving the yard, just remember pressure in the yard no pressure out of the yard. Try these things out and let me know how he does.
Best Wishes,
Caitlin Day Huntress
